Sunday, August 5, 2012

Your Most Loyal Ally

"But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil" (Luke 6:35)


In Luke 6:35, Jesus taught His disciples to love their enemies - giving up anything they might receive in return.


Jesus was the model for treating persecutors with kindness so that the door would be open for all men to come to repentance. He instructed the disciples to show grace to their adversaries in hope their enemies someday would become friends.


Though often conflicts with people seem insurmountable, the power and grace of God can do things beyond a person's imagination. The disciples learned the truth of this soon enough when Christian-persecuting Saul was transformed into Christ-centered Paul.


Having received this great grace, Paul wrote, "And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will" (2 Timothy 2:24-26).


It is the Lord's will that you treat others with forgiveness and love so that they might be saved. So be kind and gentle to all. You may just find that your greatest adversary has become your most loyal ally.


Lord, bend my unforgiving spirit into a loving one so that Your Holy Spirit's workings in me will lead my enemies to You. Amen


~Charles Stanley~

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